BellaSugar

The Fascinating History of Beauty Marks

Miriam Lacey — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 06:05:18 PDT

Beauty marks haven't always been beautiful; in fact, for a significant part of human history, they've been considered hideous, bad luck, or even a sign of poor money management. And while Madonna may have ditched her mole back in the early '90s, for many of us, these marks are permanent features. Check out the crazy ways different cultures have interpreted beauty marks, and find out whether your moles would have netted you a good husband or a visit to the exorcist.

What to Expect at the Dermatologist

BellaSugar — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 10:00:00 PDT

Perhaps you're a regular at the dermatologist and go once or more a year, but maybe you've never made a visit to the skin doctor before. Whatever the case, you can get more out of your visit if you're prepared. Here are a few points to consider so that you can make your next trip to the derm a breeze. To find out what they are, just keep reading.

Take a Photo, Watch Your Moles

BellaSugar — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 09:00:48 PDT

There are loads of acne creams, wrinkle treatments, but do they really work? A new website called SkinOfMine.com hopes to help you discover the answer by allowing you to evaluate their effectiveness. All you have to do is take a "before" photo of yourself, upload it, and follow the cropping and analyzing instructions. Later, upload an "after" photo for comparison. Software scans the photos to note changes in things like texture, tone, and appearance.

The least sexy, but most helpful, tool on the website is the mole analyzer. While it can't replace the expert advice of a doctor, it does allow you to track changes over time. You can even email your snapshots to the derm through the website. So if you're tracking the shape of your moles - which could truly be a life-saver - this makes doing so a lot easier.

Mole Removal Kits: Dangerous or Effective?

BellaSugar — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:00:41 PDT

I'm not too attached to my moles, but a DIY approach to removing them? Scary territory. It's not hard to find mole-removing creams and lotions on the Internet, and while it might be tempting to rid yourself of an unsightly dark spot, think twice before you decide to play doctor. These at-home treatments, some of which claim to take about 20 minutes to work, often require the use of an emery board or toothpick to scratch the mole down and then the application of "natural," herbal ingredients to essentially burn mole off. While, yes, some of these over-the-counter products can actually do what they're supposed to do, there are some major flaws to taking these skin treatments into your own hands, including accidental scarring or pitting of the skin. To find out the most dangerous side effect, keep reading.

Minutes to a Healthier You . . .

FitSugar — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 03:00:00 PDT

It's not only the 60 minutes you spend at the gym that keep you healthy; it's also the little things that can take a few seconds.

I know it's been on your mind, the moles on your back or your arm, or wherever. Put your mind at ease and take a minute to call a dermatologist. Make an appointment for a general skin check-up so they can take a look at questionable moles. If you've found ones that are asymmetrical in shape, have an irregular border, have varying colors throughout the mole, or if the diameter of the mole is larger than a pencil eraser, it's best to get it checked for skin cancer. You'll feel much better knowing, and it'll be great to do before Summer comes and you start spending more time in the sun.

Fit's Tips: Even though you may not be sun bathing on the beach just yet, be sure to wear a daily moisturizer that contains SPF. Not only will it prevent wrinkles, but it's necessary in order to protect you from the sun's harmful rays that can cause skin cancer.

Source

Look For the "Ugly Duckling" Mole

FitSugar — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 11:45:00 PST

File this one under – "If it works for specialists it can work for you."

A recent study found that looking for the "ugly duckling sign" in moles was a reliable way to identify malignant melanoma, aka skin cancer. The ugly duckling moles are those moles that don't follow the pattern of a person's moles; these stick out in their difference in pigmentation. Unlike the age-old fable, these ugly ducklings do not turn into swans.

If you have a mole with different coloring from your other moles, go and see a dermatologist! You should have your skin screened regularly, starting at age 30. The earlier a problem is detected the better!

"One of theses things is not like the other. One of these things just doesn't belong."

Source

Who Do These Famous Beauty Marks Belong To?

BellaSugar — Mon, 08 Oct 2007 15:00:58 PDT

These three mystery ladies have made the most of their moles. They all have gorgeous skin and smiles and have showed us that beauty marks are something to flaunt! Take the quiz to find out which beauty mark belongs to what beauty!

Take the Quiz

Eva Mendes on Feeling "Creatively Satisfied" With Ryan Gosling, Her Insecurities, and More in Marie Claire

Lauren Turner — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 09:02:09 PST

Eva Mendes looks glamorous in a jeweled top on the cover of Marie Claire's March issue. The actress has been busy with multiple projects, including Girl in Progress, which hits theaters in April, and Holly Motors, though much of her headline making is due to boyfriend Ryan Gosling. The duo worked together on The Place Beyond the Pines last year and have been spotted sharing romantic dates in Paris, Disneyland, and around LA since. Eva touched on working with Ryan, her own insecurities, and how she gets her glowing skin. Here's more from Eva Mendes in Marie Claire:

On working with Ryan Gosling: "He’s your dream costar. I have never felt so creatively satisfied on a film."
On her diet and workout routine: "I run four to five times a week, mixing it up among distance running, intervals on a track, and running uphill on a treadmill. I don't eat meat and stopped eating chicken - my skin has gotten a lot better."
On her body image: "What I tell girls is what they don’t like about themselves now, they will probably end up loving as an adult, because that’s what happened to me. When I am complimented on things that I didn’t like when I was 13, like my overbite and my mole, that’s when you realize that your imperfections are why people love you."

How the Alphabet Can Prevent Skin Cancer

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 10:00:00 PDT

Most of the more than one million cases of skin cancer that are diagnosed in the US each year are considered sun-related, and of those, almost 11,000 people will die each year. That's a lot of deaths that could be prevented if people just took care of their skin by wearing sunscreen and doing skin self-exams. Check yourself for suspicious-looking moles, and if you find something odd, make an appointment immediately with a dermatologist.

If you're not sure what you should be looking for - this is where your knowledge of the alphabet comes into play - follow the A,B,C,D,E rule. To learn the rule, just

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy: I Spy a Masterpiece

Shannon Vestal — Fri, 16 Dec 2011 08:00:00 PST

The fact that Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy is a well-crafted mystery that allows you to play detective yourself would be enough for me to say it's good, but the fact that it's so superbly acted makes it great. In the 1970s-set film, Gary Oldman plays George Smiley, a former intelligence officer who's summoned out of retirement to help root out a mole in Britain's Secret Intelligence Service, AKA "the Circus." Oldman leads an ensemble of incredible actors like Colin Firth, Tom Hardy, Mark Strong, Toby Jones, and up-and-comers like Benedict Cumberbatch.

The men play British agents in the Circus devoted to monitoring the intelligence between Russia, Britain, and the US during the Cold War. The agents have a long history of working together, but each one is potentially the double agent working for the Soviets. As Smiley unearths clues to reveal the identity of the mole, the film makes you trust and doubt each of the suspects equally with an absorbing story that's worthy of its fine cast. To find out why I enjoyed the film, just keep reading.